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30
The average duration of stay in Hospital was in 1904 ten
weeks, and of isolation of home isolated cases, six weeks. Twentyfour
certificates of satisfactory isolation at home were given to
enable Arsenal employees to continue work.
42. Return Cases.—There were 14 cases in which infection
was attributed to a patient recently returned from hospital, compared
with 19, 10 and 18 in the three previous years. The interval
between return of the infecting case and commencement of
illness in 9 cases was from two to seven days, and in 3 cases from
14 to 25 days. Of the infecting cases, 5 had some form of
Rhinitis when seen after return; 1 had an ulcer on the cheek ;
1 whooping cough, and 1 enlarged tonsils. Three of the infecting
cases went to hospital for Diphtheria, the remainder for
Scarlet Fever.
A special report was presented on "Return Cases and Fever
Hospitals as a Source of Infection," and ordered to be printed by
the Public Health Committee. A copy was sent to the Metropolitan
Asylums Board and the Borough Councils. I also prepared
a summary of, and commentary on, the voluminous
report of Dr. Cameron to the Metropolitan Asylums Board on this
subject, which was printed in the Council's Minutes of 1st
November, 1905.
I am glad to be able to state that the Board has at last adopted
the simple plan of sending out instructions with returning
patients warning parents as to the danger of infection, and
pointing out the desirability of partial isolation. (Re action on
this point in Woolwich, see Annual Report, 1904, page 32.)
43. Other Sources of Infection.—In 57 cases infection was
attributed to other inmates of the same house. Some of these
were never notified and had no distinct symptoms of Scarlet
Fever, but a history of sore throats made it probable that they had
had a slight attack of this disease.